Today's Scripture Readings

Saints, Feasts, and Readings for 3/31/2013

Prayer Before Reading Holy Scripture

O Master Who loves mankind, illuminate our hearts with the pure light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our mind to understand the teachings of Your Gospel. Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments, that we may overcome all carnal desires, entering upon a spiritual life and understanding and acting in all things according to Your holy will. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ God, and to You we give glory together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

Epistle Reading: Hebrews 1:10-2:3

And: "You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the
earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands;

They will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old
like a garment;

Like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed.
But You are the same, and Your years will not fail."

But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My
right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"?

Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister
for those who will inherit salvation?

Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we
have heard, lest we drift away.

For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and
every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,

how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which
at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by
those who heard Him,

Gospel Reading: Mark 2:1-12

And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard
that He was in the house.

Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer
room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to
them.

Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by
four men.

And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they
uncovered the roof where He was. And when they had broken through, they let
down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your
sins are forgiven you."

But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in
their hearts,

"Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive
sins but God alone?"

And immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they
reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about
these things in your hearts?

"Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are
forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'?

"But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth
to forgive sins"; He said to the paralytic,

"I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go your way to
your house."

And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the
presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "
We never saw anything like this!"